Pop artist Mari Kim explores extraterrestrial life
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Mari Kim exhibit installation view / Courtesy of Hakgojae Gallery
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Girls with large eyes and immature physiques stare from the canvas. Despite the funky colors and cute costumes, there's something uncanny about these figures, or "Eyedolls" created by pop artist Mari Kim.
Kim's solo exhibit "SETI ― Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence" at Hakgojae Gallery in central Seoul features some 190 works going back to 2011, including paintings, videos and neon artwork.
"I always liked fantasizing as a child,” Kim said. “This exhibit begins from the question of where do we come from and where are we going."
She has been working with the characters since 2007, and this exhibit shows their evolution in a dystopian narrative. The exhibit is divided into three parts ― genesis, present and future. The Eyedolls had no individuality at first, but they have been reproduced infinitely and become differentiated. However, different ideologies ignite dispute and the Eyedolls end up going into space.
“Incomplete Solar System” by Mari Kim / Courtesy of Hakgojae Gallery
The Eyedolls of genesis are portrayed as emotionless through matching colors for hair and lips. They are uniform and have little personality.
As they evolve, the Eyedolls of the present are more colorful and dynamic. Lips are colored vibrantly to emphasize individual personalities.
The highlight of the exhibit would be the future part displayed at the new wing of Hakgojae. The future Eyedolls become abstract, as bodies disappears and images of the Eyedolls overlap, maximizing otherworldliness.
Kim studied multimedia and animation at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. She is also known for collaborating with K-pop stars such as 2NE1 and other commercial brands.
Kim's artistic experiment does not stop on the canvass. She is preparing a short film to submit for the Cannes Film Festival in March. Written and directed by Kim, the 15-minute short revolves around an agonized artist and a soul in her painting.
This is the first time for Hakgojae Gallery, known for mainly dealing with antiques and major contemporary artists, to exhibit the works of a pop artist. "Dansaekhwa now represents Korean modern art, but it was initiated by young artists back in the 1970s. Pop art might look unfamiliar, but such new ventures will become mainstream as time marches on," the Hakgojae curator said.
The exhibit runs until Feb. 24. For more information, visit www.hakgojae.com or call 02-720-1524.